Kitchen unit



I5 I r Tifil.

y v I 'N. M. DUNNENG 2,007,184

' KITCHEN UNIT Filed April 12, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR NEAL M.DUNNING July 9, 1935. DUNMNG V 2,007,184

KITCHEN UNIT Filed April 12, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR NEAL M.DUNNING HIS TORNEY July 9, 19 35. DUNNlNG 2,007,184

KITCHEN UN'IT Filed April 12, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 D L 54 V INVENTORNEAL M DUN NING H] TORNEY Patented" July '9, 1 935 vumTEo .QSTATQESPATENT. OFFICIEQQJ KITCHEN UNIT Neal M. Dunning, Larchmont, N. Y.,assignor to John. B. Pierce Foundation, New York, N. Y.,

a corporation of New York , Application April 12, 1933, Serial No.665,640.

I Claims. This invention relates to improved kitchen unit construction..7 I 1 More particularly, my invention comprises a "group of fixtureitems such as a sink, drawers,

closets, etc., assembled combinedly for installation at a wall of akitchen or like space of a house or other structure, and furthercomprising a compartment of adjustable height and having transparentwall portion or portions and serving dually for. housingfsuitablelighting means for providing artificial illumination in the use of thefixture items.

Pursuant to a general feature of my invention,

kitchenunits embodying a sink, group or groups of closets, drawersand/or other fixture items, with or without a kitchen range, with orwithout a refrigerator, the aforesaid being factory fabri- 'cated ofstandard individual and overall dimensions, and comprising further anadjustable compartment, preferably at the top, to accommodate theassembly for varying heights between floor level and. ceiling level,such adjustable compartment being provided with'a' Wall of glass orequivalent materiaL and an electric bulb or set of bulbs 'orequivalent,lighting.;means disposed-in such adjustable compartment.

In the most preferred embodiment of the in- .vention, the: adjustablecompartment includes 'a horizontal orother overhang, the bottom andfront wall or walls of which are provided'in Whole 'or in. part withglass or equivalent material to light rays. emittedfrom the provideillummationat' the sink, range, etc. by

in the compartment;

Therefore, such adjustable compartment serves the dual functions ofhousing the illuminating means and enabling the produetion'at a factoryof a combined' assembly of appropriate, fixture items of predetermineddimensions."

Factory fabrication of my invention may be had by grouping andmechanically assembling the desired fixtures and" other items such asclosets,'cabinets, drawers, etc., at the factory as an assembled unit,and shipping the same as such assembled unit, the desired height ofuppermost compartment functioning as the filler portion of the unitbeing assembled 'at the'location of installation. I

Desirably, also, the individual fixtures and other items maybefabricated at the factoryfor assembly in number and relative location asmay be desired, the assembly whengrouped to have any desired standardoverall dimensions, the unit being assembled at the location ofinstallation, and also the necessary uppermost filler compartment.

If desired, the front wall of the uppermost compartment'may be glazedfor general illumination purposes. In the event that the uppermostcompartment is'notemployed for the housingof the lighting means, theexposed-walls may be wholly lighting means withof metal or othersuitable material, the proper height of the same selected inaccordancewith the height of the ceiling.

Further features and objects of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from the followin detail description and the accompanyingdrawings, in which ment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section Fig. 1; g v V Fig. 3 is a verticalsection on line 33 of :Fig. ,1; Fig. 3a is a detail illustrating oneform of structure for accommodating the variable distance between thecompartments and the ceiling;

Fig. 4 is a 'detail horizontal section of lin I'4 ofFig.l; I V 1 Fig. 5is a detail horizontal section on line 5-5 ofFig.1. I N

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section showing the Fig. l is a frontelevation of a preferred embodion line of a embodiment of a glazed frontwall for the filler compartment; 7 V

Fig. 7 isa perspective view of a. preferred form of frame for themechanical'securement of the assembled items relative to one another;

Fig; 8 is a verticaldetail section on of Fig. '7; 1 I

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section as viewed on-sectionline9-9ofFig.7;and' p7 v Fig. 10 is a detail section on the line III-III of Fig. 2. r

Referring to Fig. 1, the kitchen unit assembly v25 lined-+8 comprisesessentially the oppositely positioned vertical shapes ID, of steel orequivalent secured rearwardly and at the opposite lateralsides of theDesirably above the groupof drawers I6 isadrip board I! functioning withthe sink I I. One'or more slide boards, see I8, may beprovided'inadjacent relation with the' drip board I! and sink II.

"A group of closets I9 may be disposed above the drip board I! and sinkII.

Most advantageously, the adjustable compartment I3 overhangathat is, itsfront wall [311 ex-. tends forwardly, see Fig. 3,. with respect to frontfaces of the closets I9, and the bottom wall or other lowerly portionofsuch overhang. portion is 1.

glazed with glass, or equivalent see 20. Preferably, the illuminatingmeans such as the electric light bulb 2| .or group of same are disposedwithinthe space portion l3 to be positioned directlyabove or otherwiserelated to provide eflicient illumination through the glass relative tothe sink I I and other essential parts of the unit. The glass 20 may befrosted or other provision made for distributed lighting effect. Thefront wall of the compartment l3 mayalso be glazed, I

' 3|, 3|, of the next upper floor or other level of see 20a, Fig. 6.

Coasting with such glass 20 or equvalent, I preferably provide a closet22, at the left hand side 'of the assembly as viewed in Fig. 1, aportion of its lateral side, in this instance its right-hand wall 22ahav-ing in whole or in part glass 23 or equivalent to thereby provideillumination within the closet 22 emitting from the lighting sourcethrough the glass 20, or equivalent.

Such illumination of the closet 22 is effective in the instance of theuse therein of one or more shelves 221), in that the glass 23, orequivalent, provides-illumination between the individual shelvesnotwithstanding their vertical superi position.

Desirably, and as illustrated in the drawings, manna may comprise a gasrange 24, the oven of which is indicated at 25 and broiler at 2511,also, a refrigerator 26,'which may be of the gas or electrical'icemaking type; also, one or more closets 21. A vertically slidably mountedor hinged cover for the gas range may be provided, to assume properdrainage position relative to the laundry tub or sink l2, to serve as adrain board.

I have also indicated in the drawings a closet 28 at the right-hand sideof the assembly, which closet may conform to the construction of thecloset 22, inclusive of a glazed wall portion similar to the glass 23,orequivalent, of the. closet 22.

At 29 are indicated cabinets which are preferably provided with doors ofthe horizontally sliding type.

The adjustment compartment I3 may be of any suitable construction forproviding either an adjusted height vertically extending front wall or aset of front wall members of varied heights and the selection of themembers of particular heights for the particular installations.

As a practical carrying out of this feature of my invention, and asillustrated in the drawings, the height adjustment compartment may behad inthe. formof a set of hollow shapes or shells r ofmetal or othersuitable material, of varied vertical dimensions preferably finished,that is, chromium'or other metal plated, enameled or painted, etc., atexposed faces. ment comprises the front wall 13a, which is con- :nectedintegrally or otherwise'to the oppositely disposedside walls l3b andrear wall l3'c, the

The illustrated compartlast-named terminating at the flange I3d, andto.-the horizontally extending intermediate strip While ordinarily thecompartment l3 may be made'of variable dimensions, depending on thespace between the top-most surface of the various uppermostcompartments, and the ceiling, I may find it advantageous to make thecompartment 13 adjustable. Such an adjustable structure is shown in Fig.3a, where 15 designates a top member having slidably mounted therein abottom member 15.. Through perforations in the top member. 15 pass thebolts 11, such bolts passing through slots 18 in the bottom member 16.The

spectively may thus be varied and nuts 19 on the bolts Tl are utilizedto hold the members 15 and T6 in adjusted position.

The lighting fixture 2| may be of any suitable construction and ismounted within the compartment 13 in any suitable manner. If desired,the

ceiling finish material I5 may terminate at a location, 15a, at asuitable distance beyond the front wall |3a of the compartment l3, toafford free space between the indicated adjacent beams the building. Asillustrated in Fig. 3, the base 24a of the lighting fixture 2| may besecured to a strap 30 secured between the indicated beams 3|, 3|.

.Desirably, the lowermost drawers l6, closets, and the like,particularly at and about the sink laundry-4|, I2, and/or cookingxrange24, are positioned at a freespacing, see 40 Figs-3 and l,.abovethefioorlevel I4 to provide toe spacing, as by the employment of abottom filler member 41.

The spacing afforded by the vertical members l0, l0, between the rearfaces of the aforesaid assembled fixture items and the wall proper 32,seeFig. 3',. is utilized forthe reception and.installation ofsuitablepiping, interalia, for the faucet 33 of the sink-laundry H, I2,the refrigerator and for the necessary waste piping, stove flue, and oter suitable piping orv other requirements. Advantageously, such spacingmay. be utilized for the cooling coils of the refrigerator, if .of themechanical ice making type, for cooling either wholly orsupplementarily'by the air in such spacing. Circulation or interchangeof air is enhanced by the provision of openings or slots 4! a in theexposed walls of the bottom filler member 4| or openings in the frame'ofthe lowermost drawer l6, see 42 Fig. 3, and cooperating openings 43in.the. rear wall of the group of drawers l6, and similarly in thebottom and rear walls of the closets 21, and the like, thus affordingcommunication with the spacing between the rear of the; assemblyv unit.and the wall or partition.

For kitcheniand like purposes, the closets, cabinets, cupboards,and'like items associated with the sink, and/or cooking appliance,and/or refrigerator, are utilized for appropriate associated purposes.

The manufacture of embodiments of my invention may be had by fabricationat a factory by fabrication of the individual fixtures and other items,which may be selected in number and in relative positionv and grouped asa unit at the factory and shipped as such or the individual fixtures anditems grouped as a'unit at the location of installation.

. Any suitable form of frame, preferably including the vertical endmembers Hi,- lll, may be. em ployed; the'individual units may besuitably connected with one another as by bolts, see, Figs. 4 and 5, insub-groups, and the sub-groups of items bolted to one anotherand/orsecured to the frame.

Also, preferably, the uppermost-filler or combined filler-lightingcompartment "I3 'is suitably secured to. the frame); I8, as by-bolts 45connccting the rear. wall" No of the compartment l3 to therespectivevertical members It), as appears in Fig. 3.

The rear protection plate is advantageously mounted inleak-proof'relation, and also in verdistancebetweenthe upper and lowersurfaces ,.of',-i'.he';-topandzbottom members 15. and Hi remin-proofrelation, with the sink-laundry l I, I2, that is, with respect to therear edge of the such fluid drains under gravity outwardly of the joint.p

Also, I prefer to mechanically interconnect the abutting edges of thesink-laundry ll, I2, and

7 horizontal flange 50a, of which extends between that of the gas'orother cooking range 24, as,

by means of bolts 46. Desirably, such interconnection is further had bythe intermediation of the moisture, and also vermin proof, connection,see Fig. 10, composed for example of an outer collapsible tubing 41, ofcopper or the like, and a therein contained mass of asbestos 48 or thelike, the bolts 46 extending through such copperasbestos gasket-likemass.

As is illustrated in Figs; '7, 8 and 9, the frame may advantageouslycomprise the" transverse member 50, which may be a Z-plate, the upperthe upright members 1,10; the member 50 is shown. secured by bolts 5|.To the vertical web of the member 50 are secured the desired number ofvertical depending strips'or arms 52, secured respectivelyat'theiruppenends 52a by bolts 53' through ope'nings in the verticalwebofthe member 50. Thelower'end portions 521) may extend free, or bebenthorizontally and then 7 vertically, as shown, for the securement thereatto a lower plateor other crossmember 54, by suitable bolts. The, crossmember 54 is shown secured at its ends by bolts to the uprights l0, Ill.

Suitable openings are provided in the arms '52 for the reception ofbolts 52c therethrough con nectingthe rear walls of the closets l9,cabinets 29, or the like, withthe arms 52. The cross members 55, seeFig. 3, connectedat their ends. to

the uprights Ill, I0, may also bexemployed as a part of the frame. y y

From the above, it appears that my invention provides forthe assembly ofindividual fixture and other items of individual predetermineddimensions and the resulting assembly of standard overall dimensions,and accordingly highly adaptable of factory fabricated. Combined withsuch assembly, my invention provides'for a compartment, mostadvantageously at the top of such standardized assembly, suchcompartment being of varied vertical dimension to accommodate variedheights between floor and ceilinglevels, such compartmentpreferablyincluding an overhang wall, havingfin whole or in part a transparentwall element, and suitable lighting means disposed in such compartmentfor affording artificiallighting in the use of the assembly items. 7

Myinvention results in the assembly of any desired groupiof fixture .orother items and a therewithcombined upper or uppermost compartmenthaving a wall portion overhanging a' 7 r y y y 3 whereby to provideillumination interiorly within such one or more wall glazed itemscombinedly with the illumination of the assembly as a whole.

My invention further provides for a spacing disposed betweentheassembled group and an inner wall or partition of a kitchen or spacedevoted for kitchen or like purposes, such space being utilized forpiping or other servicing requirements of the fixture or other items ofthe assembly.

. -My invention is particularly directed to an assembled wall unit for akitchen although not necessarily restricted thereto, and is applicablefor the attainment of likepurposes in combinationwith other buildingcomponent parts.

1. The combination of an assembly of individual items arranged to bepositioned in relation to a wall or partition of a building or otherstructure, and further comprising a compartment of variable verticalheight to accommodate varied vertical distances between the floor leveland the ceiling level, said compartment having a wall I overhanging saiditems, said wall being provided with transparent means, and lightingmeans disposed within said compartment for illuminating said itemsthrough the intermediation of said transparent means. a

2. The combination of an assembly of individual items arranged to bepositioned in relation to each other and to a wall or partition of abuilding or other structure, and including a compartment arranged abovesaid items, said com partment being of variable vertical height toaccommodate varied vertical distances between the floor level and theceiling level," said'compartment having a wall overhanging saidindividual items, said wall being provided withjtransparent means, andlighting means disposed within said compartment for illuminating saiditems through the intermediation of said transparent means.

3. The combination of an assembly of individual items including closetmeans arranged to be positioned in relation to a wallor partition of abuildinglor other structure, and further comprising a compartment, saidcompartment having a wall overhanging said closet means, said wall beingprovided with transparent means and lighting means disposedavithin saidcompartment, said closet means having a wall provided ualclosetsarranged to be positioned in relation to a wall or partition of abuilding or other structure, and further comprising a compartment havinga wall overhanging said closets, said wall' being provided withtransparent means, and

lightmeans disposed within said compartment,

said closet means having a wall provided with a transparent medium inilluminating relationship with said lighting means. I

5. The combination of anassembly of individual closets in predeterminedrelationship, to one another and arranged tob'e positioned in relationto a wall or partition of a building or other

